Travel is cheaper this year, with gas prices and plane tickets being less expensive than they have been in recent years, and this has led to AAA project a record breaking travel season.
“Well this year our holiday travel volume nationally and regionally broke all records, and we’ve been keeping track of this since 2001. So for the yearend holidays, which is Christmas and New Year’s, there’s going to be more people on the road than ever,” said Spokeswoman for AAA, Chelsea Pompeani.
AAA is estimating 89.5 million people will be on the road this year traveling more than 50 miles to their holiday destination. This marks the 6th consecutive year of increases in holiday travel. Because the holiday is on a Thursday, the long holiday weekend will lead to more travelers.
This year dead batteries, crashes and flat tires have the organization projecting to assist about 37,000 people on the side of the road in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York, Ohio and Kentucky.
That’s why Pompeani always suggests being prepared. “Make sure that you’re watching the weather forecast, and being safe on the road, especially if you’re traveling during that period in the beginning there’s going to be a lot of people on the road so you always want to make sure you have an emergency roadside kit in your car for winter, and this should include a cell phone, a car charger, blankets, flashlight, shovels, and then maybe some cat litter, or traction mats,” said Pompeani.
Car rentals are about $3 more expensive, and hotels are near $5 more than last year, but airfare is cheaper by 7%, and gas is about 80 cents less expensive than last year according to AAA.
